Here Comes Santa Claus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids "Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)" |
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| Single by Gene Autry | |
| B-side | "An Old Fashioned Tree" |
| Published | November 20, 1947 by Gene Autry Music Publishing, Inc. |
| Released | October 6, 1947 |
| Recorded | August 28, 1947 |
| Genre | Christmas |
| Length | 2:34 |
| Label | Columbia 37942 |
| Songwriter(s) | Oakley Haldeman and Gene Autry |
"Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)" is a very popular Christmas song. It was written and first sung by the famous American singer Gene Autry. The music for the song was created by Oakley Haldeman. Gene Autry's first recording of the song was a huge success. It quickly became a top hit on both pop and country music charts. Since then, many other well-known artists have recorded their own versions of this classic holiday tune.
Contents
How the Song Was Born
The Idea Behind the Song
Gene Autry got the idea for "Here Comes Santa Claus" in 1946. He was riding his horse in a big Christmas parade in Los Angeles. This parade is now known as the Hollywood Christmas Parade. As he rode, people watching the parade kept shouting, "Here comes Santa Claus!" This gave him the perfect idea for a new song. Oakley Haldeman then helped him create the music for his lyrics.
Mixing Traditions in the Lyrics
The song's words cleverly combine two important parts of Christmas. It talks about the fun, magical stories of Santa Claus. It also mentions the Christian origins of the holiday. For example, it speaks of "peace on Earth" and following "the light." This refers to the nativity promise from the Christmas story.
How It Was Recorded
When they were making the first recording, they needed a sound like jingling sleigh bells. A singer named Johnny Bond made a demo recording. He used ice cubes to make a jingling sound! This cool trick inspired them to use real sleigh bells in Gene Autry's own recording of the song.
The Song's Journey
First Release and Success
Gene Autry first recorded "Here Comes Santa Claus" on August 28, 1947. It was released as a single by Columbia Records. The song quickly became very popular. It reached number 5 on the country music charts and number 9 on the pop charts. This showed how much people loved the song right away.
Later Recordings and Appearances
Gene Autry performed the song in his 1949 movie, The Cowboy and the Indians. He liked the song so much that he recorded it again in 1953 for Columbia. Then, in 1957, he recorded it one more time for his own Challenge Records label. That year, it appeared on several albums.
Famous Artists Who Covered It
Many other famous singers have recorded "Here Comes Santa Claus." Some of these include Doris Day (in 1949), Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters (in 1949), and Elvis Presley (in 1957). Later, artists like Willie Nelson (1979), Mariah Carey (2010), and Pentatonix (2018) also sang their own versions.
In Movies and TV
The song has also been featured in popular movies and TV shows. In 1988, it was part of Very Merry Christmas Songs. This was a collection from the Disney Sing Along Songs series. The song was also a big part of the popular 1989 Christmas movie National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. Gene Autry's 1957 recording was used during an important scene near the end of the film.
Chart Success
How Popular It Was
"Here Comes Santa Claus" has been a hit on music charts many times. When Gene Autry first released it in 1948, it quickly became a top song. It reached number 5 on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. It also hit number 9 on the US Billboard Best Sellers in Stores chart. Even decades later, the song still appears on charts during the holiday season. For example, in 2019–2020, it reached number 89 on the Billboard Global 200 chart and number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It also made it to number 22 on the Rolling Stone Top 100 chart. This shows how much people still love this classic Christmas song!
